Erin Lin, an associate professor in the Department of Political Science, College of Arts and Sciences, The Ohio State University, has been awarded the prestigious Fulbright-Hays Faculty Research Abroad (FRA) Fellowship by the U.S. Department of Education, International and Foreign Language Education (IFLE) office.

Lin will conduct research in Cambodia for four months on the topic of “Airpower from Below: Civilian Strategies in Cambodia.” Lin seeks to connect U.S. Department of Defense declassified records of payload drops from the secret bombing of Cambodia to the civilian populace’s firsthand experience on the ground

“I will examine how local hierarchy and positionality shape the Cambodian civilian’s understanding of and response to the American bombing campaign. Rather than merely responding to the degree of violence in their village, civilians considered a handful of small yet significant options through which they were able to survive the war: fleeing, hiding, or supporting oppositional groups,” said Lin. 

"I posit that an individual’s social rank, gender, age, and ethnicity shape how they experience violence and respond to the situations they face. I draw upon a qualitative research design that includes in-depth interviews with village chiefs, oral histories of bombing survivors, and ethnographic observation of daily life. The research will enhance the development of my graduate and undergraduate courses on Southeast Asian and Cambodian Politics.” Learn more about Lin’s research on her website.

Faculty conduct research abroad in modern foreign languages and area studies to improve their skill in languages and their knowledge of the culture of the people of these countries through the FRA grant. Nationwide across all disciplines only 25 Faculty Research Abroad Fellowships were awarded.

The Office of International Affairs administers the Fulbright-Hays program for Ohio State, and grant competitions are held annually. Faculty interested in applying for the award must contact Fulbright-Hays program director, Joanna Kukielka-Blaser.